Amidst the jubilation and triumphs, there lingers a somber chapter etched with tragedy—the haunting memory of the Cabinda drama. Today marks the 13th anniversary of a harrowing event that unfolded on January 8, 2010, when the Togolese national football team, the Hawks, found themselves ensnared in a perilous ordeal during the AFCON 2010 tournament.
The Cabinda drama unfolded as Emmanuel Adebayor and his teammates embarked on a journey to Angola to partake in the prestigious African Cup of Nations.
Departing from Pointe-Noire, Congo, after a rigorous preparatory phase, the Eperviers chose a ground route, defying CAF regulations advocating air travel.
Unbeknownst to them, this decision would lead them into the clutches of tragedy in the Cabinda province.
Trapped in a malevolent ambush, the Eperviers’ bus fell prey to gunfire from rebels affiliated with the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), advocating for the independence of the oil-rich Cabinda region.
This heart-wrenching assault claimed the lives of two members of the Togolese delegation—Stan Ocloo, the communications officer, and Amélété Abalo, the assistant coach.
Among the wounded was goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilalé, whose injuries necessitated multiple surgeries, ending his football career prematurely.
Despite pressure from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Togo team, grappling with grief and trauma, chose to withdraw from the competition.
In the aftermath, CAF imposed a suspension on Togo for the subsequent two editions of AFCON.
Thirteen years later, the families of the victims and survivors continue to seek justice and reparations, decrying the silence and inaction of Togolese, Angolan, and African football authorities.
The accusations persist against FLEC, accused of violating international humanitarian law and the principles of sporting fair play.
As the football world reflects on this dark episode, the call for justice reverberates, urging a collective acknowledgment of the enduring scars left by the Cabinda tragedy on the spirit of African football.
